Introduction to the Real Irish Republican Army
The Real Irish Republican Army
Introduction
In July of 2012, a member of the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA) approached a journalist in Derry City with a statement about the future of the organization. The statement outlined the purpose of the organization, and called upon the British government to remove all British military presence in “their” country. Additionally, the statement indicated a merger between several republican sovereignty organizations by stating that “In recent years the establishment of a free and independent Ireland has suffered setbacks due to the failure among the leadership of Irish nationalism and fractures within republicanism.” The IRA had merged with other republican militant organizations into a new organization, a more structured and potentially dangerous organization: the New Irish Republican Army.
The literature review will begin by providing background information on the Real IRA. This includes the history of the organization, the groups ideology and terror objectives. Additionally, the literature review will discuss the group’s organizational structure, leadership, base for recruitment, and funding. The IRA’s tactics, targets, and location will also be discussed.
The literature review will be followed by an overview of the current status of the organization. This section will discuss the Real Irish Republican Army’s current designation as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. This includes examples of the group’s terrorist attacks and how they affect the United States’ interests within the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Current counterterrorism efforts will be briefly explained, and then future counterterrorism tactics will be suggested. This section will examine counterterrorism from both the United Kingdom and the United States’ perspective, and suggest changes for both states to make in their actions against the Real IRA.
Literature Review
Provisional Irish Republican Army
At the end
Introduction
In July of 2012, a member of the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA) approached a journalist in Derry City with a statement about the future of the organization. The statement outlined the purpose of the organization, and called upon the British government to remove all British military presence in “their” country. Additionally, the statement indicated a merger between several republican sovereignty organizations by stating that “In recent years the establishment of a free and independent Ireland has suffered setbacks due to the failure among the leadership of Irish nationalism and fractures within republicanism.” The IRA had merged with other republican militant organizations into a new organization, a more structured and potentially dangerous organization: the New Irish Republican Army.
The literature review will begin by providing background information on the Real IRA. This includes the history of the organization, the groups ideology and terror objectives. Additionally, the literature review will discuss the group’s organizational structure, leadership, base for recruitment, and funding. The IRA’s tactics, targets, and location will also be discussed.
The literature review will be followed by an overview of the current status of the organization. This section will discuss the Real Irish Republican Army’s current designation as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. This includes examples of the group’s terrorist attacks and how they affect the United States’ interests within the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Current counterterrorism efforts will be briefly explained, and then future counterterrorism tactics will be suggested. This section will examine counterterrorism from both the United Kingdom and the United States’ perspective, and suggest changes for both states to make in their actions against the Real IRA.
Literature Review
Provisional Irish Republican Army
At the end
References: Archick, Kristin, Northern Ireland: The Peace Process (2014) Washington, DC: U.S. Congressional Research Service. Art, R. J., & Richardson, L. (2007). Democracy and counterterrorism: lessons from the past. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press. Barrientos, Alvaro. “Real IRA Dubbed Terror Group,” CBS News (Washington, DC), May 16, 2001 CAIN: Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) Statement. (2003, January 28). Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Kushner, H. W. (2011). The Sage encyclopedia of terrorism (2nd ed.). London: SAGE. “Real IRA (RIRA),” Jane’s World Insurgency and Terrorism, (2013): 1-6. Smith, P. (2008). Counterterrorism in the United Kingdom. Journal of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, 3, 25-90. The United Kingdom 's Strategy for Countering Terrorism. (2011). Norwich: TSO.